There is an increasing need for long term observation of large portions of the earth-ocean system. In particular, scientists wish to monitor oceanic processes as well as improve predictive modeling of complex natural phenomena that vary over distance and time. Ocean observatories are being deployed at the seafloor and connected by cable or buoy to surface networks to help scientists study these oceanic processes. These observatories are really large computer and power networks having scientific equipment such as spectrometers or seismometers. These seafloor observatories may be located many hundreds of kilometers off the coast of the nearest shore station and may be positioned at depths of over 5000 meters. Typically, the observatory has one or more network connections to shore stations through which data collected from the seafloor observatory can be passed onto the Internet and which can serve seafloor instruments with power and control commands. Although existing and proposed observatory systems promise high electrical power and real-time communications, they have severe limitations with regard to the distance that instrumentation can be deployed from the observatory (either coastal, regional, or buoys) due to power, communications, and cost constraints. In addition these devices are large, heavy, and deployment is cumbersome and costly, often requiring an ROV.
Accordingly, there is a need for a low cost, low power, lightweight, and easy to deploy underwater communication system capable of being operated at long distances.